The convenience of flushing unwanted items down the toilet is a habit ingrained in many households. There is also a widespread issue surrounding people’s understanding of what is and is not allowed to be flushed away. What may seem like a harmless act can have detrimental consequences for both plumbing systems and the environment. From wipes and paper towels to feminine hygiene products and medical waste, the list of items that should never be flushed down the toilet is extensive.
The public needs to take action to better their knowledge and combat current bad habits. Just because an item can be flushed down the toilet definitely does not mean it should be flushed down the toilet. We all need to learn to #FlushSmart.
I spoke with Lara Wyss, President of FlushSmart and the Responsible Flushing Alliance, to learn why it’s crucial to be mindful of what you throw down the toilet and the implications of improper disposal. I also learned about their recent sewage collection study and its eye-opening findings.
Responsible Flushing Alliance
The Responsible Flushing Alliance is a nonprofit association dedicated to consumer education about proper flushing habits across the US. Their mission is to contribute to solutions caused by products that are improperly flushed. The Responsible Flushing Alliance collaborates with the wipes supply chain and wastewater utilities to understand and evaluate the scope, contents and impacts of flushed items on wastewater infrastructure. They provide educational resources and use fun marketing to engage and get their message across to the public.
What Is The Issue?
Firstly, it’s expensive! Flushing items that are not designed to be flushed down the toilet can be very costly. Whether it’s a few hundred dollars at home or a few million dollars at a municipal level, all unnecessary damages can be easily avoided by following simple rules.
“The National Association of Clean Water Agencies, NACWA, estimated that it cost US wastewater agencies over $440 million in one year to address wipes that were flushed improperly. In many cases, those costs are also passed on to the consumer through rate hikes.”
Secondly, it’s harmful to the environment! There is not only a cost to households and municipalities but also to the environment. Many of the wipes are made from long-chain, durable plastics. Once they end up in the environment, these materials persist and are broken down into harmful microplastics, contaminating groundwater, rivers and oceans.
“If people can make one small change, which is to look at the package of wipes for the do not flush symbol, and if you see it, do not flush it! It’s not there for beauty. It’s there because it really helps keep things out of the waterways that shouldn’t be there.”
It’s In The Law
There are laws across the US regarding correct flushing practices. The law requires companies to ensure that non-flushable wipes, especially those made with plastic, have a ‘Do Not Flush’ symbol on their packaging. The law clearly states that a baby wipe cannot be marketed as flushable and must have the ‘Do Not Flush’ symbol to avoid consumer confusion. Importantly, the law also prevents wipes marketed as ‘flushable’ from containing plastics. Sadly, just having the rules in law is not enough, and that is where nonprofits like the Responsible Flushing Alliance play an important role in spreading the message.
Sewage Collection Study 2023
A 4-day sewage collection study was conducted in California to identify what residents are flushing down their toilets. 1,745 samples were collected, sorted, identified and logged.
The results were surprising, with paper towels (kitchen roll) making up a massive 53% of the samples. Other items labelled ‘Do Not Flush products’, including baby wipes, household cleaning wipes and makeup removal wipes, accounted for 34% and feminine hygiene products 7%. Non-flushable wipes were only 0.9%.
“This sewage collection study has unveiled the truth behind what really ends up being flushed down our toilets.”
Based on this study, implementing consumer education to discourage the top three categories could stop over 90% of the damaging material.
Are Consumers Confused or Lazy?
Consumer research shows that it is a combination of both issues.
There is no doubt that incorrect flushing comes down to convenience and mistakes for many people. In the last year, 60% of consumers admitted to flushing something down the toilet that they knew wasn’t flushable. They believe that doing it once won’t be an issue or make an excuse that no bin was nearby. However, if everyone uses these same justifications to ignore the rules, it becomes a massive problem.
However, there is still a lot of confusion about what a flushable wipe is. 1 in 5 Californians mistakenly believe that all soft paper or tissue products are flushable. Non-flushable wipes, which in the US represent about 90% of wipes sold, are made with long fibres that are often plastic. They are designed to be strong and durable, to hold up and not fall apart. Flushable wipes are either a replacement or an additional product to be used in conjunction with toilet paper. They are easily broken down because they are made with short, plant-based fibres, allowing them to disintegrate when flushed down toilets.
“By following the rules and raising awareness within our communities, we can mitigate the negative impacts of improper flushing, preserve plumbing infrastructure, and safeguard the health of our planet’s waterways. As consumers become more aware of their environment and things they can do to protect the planet, this is one small, easy change that people can make today.”
If we all collectively think before we flush, we could make a big impact!
“The important thing to remember is we need to be really mindful. Educating yourself and knowing what can and cannot be flushed is vital.”
This image shows the difference in size between the small pieces of flushable wipes that were collected vs the fully intact baby wipes.
